Jeb Bush and Republican amnesia

Chicago Tribune ^ | March 25, 2012 | Steve Chapman

[CutePuppy]

With the Republican presidential nomination almost in his grasp, Mitt Romney rolled out a notable endorsement last week, from a former governor of Florida. It was notable not because it's likely to change the mind of any voter, but because it required the Romney campaign to utter a four-letter word it has been loath to use: Bush.

The presidential candidates never tire of reminding us theirs is the party of Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln. That the modern version is, more than anything else, the party of Bush is something they prefer to omit.

The last two Republican presidents were members of the clan. Someone named Bush has been on the national ticket in six of the last eight elections.

But after spending eight years rallying behind every scheme of George W. Bush - the Medicare prescription drug program, No Child Left Behind, a trillion-dollar war based on false claims - Republicans now act as though they never met the guy. He's gone from Conquering Hero to Invisible Man.

If some Republicans had their way, however, there would be another Bush on this year's ticket, namely Jeb. Whenever speculation bubbles about a deadlocked convention turning to a unity candidate, his is the name at the top of the list of potential saviors. ..... < snip >

..... But he has a huge liability: that unfortunate family connection, which is borderline radioactive. The only reason he could be taken seriously at all is that he can be portrayed as strikingly different from his delinquent brother ..... < snip >

..... But the Bushes have some experience with that approach. When George W. made his White House bid, his campaign encouraged the perception of him as the true son and rightful heir - of Reagan, not George H.W. Bush. ..... < snip >

[CutePuppy]

For all the talking heads telling us that we live in the "era of Reagan" we have been living in the "kinder, gentler, compassionate conservative era of Bush" ever since George H. W. Bush took office, ostensibly to fulfill the "third term" of Ronald Reagan.

Above all, Reagan stood for curtailing and reducing the powers of federal government, not related to defense, and increasing the freedoms of the U.S. and the world's citizenry rather than redistributing the goodies, rights or privileges. For that he was despised by the establishment of both major parties, who did everything they could to undermine his successes and achievements.

The only time we ever came close to the same government philosophy as during the "era of Reagan" was when Newt Gingrich became the Speaker. Establishment of both parties did the same thing to Newt, including repeating or failing to defend him against the Left's numerous baseless outrageous charges, rumors and and gossip... Yet they never failed to claim his successes as their own (Clinton, Santorum, DeLay etc.)

Now the same establishment and the talking heads who keep talking about "era of Reagan" and the "small government" are pushing big government milquetoasts and disparage the only candidate who had the temerity to tell the truth about Americans living in the "era of Reagan" or that shoving the right-wing "social engineering" down the people's throats is no more attractive to average citizen than the left-wing "social engineering" and has always been a losing strategy.

That's the modern GOP, the party of Bushes... Don't worry, they say, just "take one for the team" and , everything will be fine... Don't doubt us, trust us!

[cotton1706]

“The last two Republican presidents were members of the clan.”

Subliminal phrasing to Tribune readers, perhaps??

[CutePuppy]

Subliminal phrasing to Tribune readers, perhaps??

I doubt it. We don't seem to have a problem with "Kennedy clan" or "Cuomo clan" or "Clinton clan" or other "dynasties" or "clans" etc.

But the need to disassociate from one Bush or another is not just Jeb's problem; it's the entire party's problem. W left office with the lowest approval rating of any president since Jimmy Carter - another president whose party pretends he never existed.

"Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results" - Alcoholics Anonymous / Narcotics Anonymous (often misattributed to Rita Mae Brown or Albert Einstein)

[the invisib1e hand]

people forget.

[Impy]

Jeb on the ticket isn’t happening. If he wasn’t a Bush he’d be the guy but he is and even the Republican party isn’t really that stupid. Next.

BTW real conservatives never stood behind Bush’s RINO polices. I wish I had stood with them instead of being a naive young cheerleader.

[af_vet_rr]

BTW real conservatives never stood behind Bush’s RINO polices. I wish I had stood with them instead of being a naive young cheerleader.

Don't worry about it, plenty of us older folks were fooled by George W. expanding the size, expense, and power of the government in a way we could never have imagined.

[Major Matt Mason]

For all the talking heads telling us that we live in the "era of Reagan" we have been living in the "kinder, gentler, compassionate conservative era of Bush" ever since George H. W. Bush took office, ostensibly to fulfill the "third term" of Ronald Reagan.

Yes, I was thinking the very same thing today - the GOP hasn't been the party of Reagan - if it ever really was - since he left office in 1988. It has been the party of Bush and the GOP-e for nearly 24 years, now, which explains some of why this country is in the mess that it is in. The party needs to be dragged back to the right, one way or another - no more Bushes!

[CutePuppy]

... and even the Republican party isn't really that stupid.

Based on the events of the current primaries, it would take real convincing. They don't call it a Stupid Party without a reason.

A Bush by any other name is just as Romney...

[KantianBurke]

“But after spending eight years rallying behind every scheme of George W. Bush - the Medicare prescription drug program, No Child Left Behind, a trillion-dollar war based on false claims - Republicans now act as though they never met the guy. He’s gone from Conquering Hero to Invisible Man.”

And that’s precisely why the GOP is a complete mess. And if folks want to set things right, the first step to solving a problem is ADMITTING YOU HAVE ONE. Considering how plenty on FR still worship that simpering fool, its not likely anytime soon.

[GBA]

How long does it normally take before shoppers or voters decide they'd like to shop somewhere else?

I'm not ready for a third party.

I'd like a real choice for a second party, instead of the 1.5 party system we have gone to.

Calling something a name doesn't make it so. "Compassionate conservatism" was demonrat/progressive big government with a slightly smaller budget.